


Cut and Comfort

by experimentallyjs589 (jacksparrow589)



Series: Time and Tide [3]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Idiots in Love, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Shirbert, hair dye would have been too easy tho, the dreaded haircut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacksparrow589/pseuds/experimentallyjs589
Summary: The hair disaster that I couldn't wedge into the previous two stories. Anne is a little bit traumatized by her unexpected new 'do, and Gilbert is there to remind her that it's okay, and that she—that her haircut is still quite fetching.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: Time and Tide [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1598953
Comments: 14
Kudos: 112





	Cut and Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> To be clear, Anne's cut isn't nearly as disastrous in this story because of the reason for it. That got changed because hair dye is easy to correct. (Though admittedly correcting black dye back to a lighter color is pretty difficult.)

Anne was so used to brushing her hair back. She'd caught herself reaching up at least ten times today. She'd finally had enough of it and run outside to one of the trees on the edge of the property. Once she'd climbed up into it, she'd started crying.

Marilla and Matthew had tried to console her. Marilla had said she looked quite fetching, and Matthew had told her that the cut made her eyes stand out. Anne, while touched, had wailed that she hadn't wanted the cut in the first place.

Ruby had been curling Anne's hair as they tried to figure out how to style it for an upcoming school dance. They'd gotten lost in chatter, only for the scent of burnt hair to alert them too late.

Ruby's mother, a hair stylist, had offered to cut Anne's hair for free, and she'd done an excellent job, but due to the position of the burned lock and the point to which it had burned, Anne's longest option had been a pixie cut.

There had been a lot of staring the next day at school. Prissy Andrews had very quickly walked up and told Anne that she loved the look. "Very fashion-forward. I wish I could pull that off, but I'd just look like Billy. You, on the other hand, look amazing. Add a headband, though—that'll complete the look." She'd winked at Anne as she'd walked away.

Anne had put in a light green bandana she'd picked up (along with some headbands) from the drugstore on her way home. It had definitely improved things, but still, as much as some teased her about her hair, having it cut off not entirely by choice had been jarring.

"Hey, you okay?" Someone called from the base of the tree.

Gilbert.

"I was wondering where you'd gone after school. I got your text that you were getting a ride with Diana, but I just wanted to be sure you're okay. Prissy said you looked a bit... shell-shocked this morning." Gilbert looked like he wanted to climb the tree, but wasn't sure Anne wouldn't give him hell for it.

"You can come up if you want," Anne told him, moving to allow him up. When Gilbert was finally situated in the nook adjacent to Anne's, she sighed. "You can also mention my hair. It's not like it isn't obvious."

"Well, yeah, it's different, alright. But it's cu—it looks good. The scarf's a nice touch." Gilbert's smile was completely sincere.

Anne reached up reflexively to brush her hair back. "...Thanks. Prissy suggested it. Still, it's just... hard to adjust."

Gilbert tilted his head. "I can understand that, but if it helps, you'll always look better with this cut than I would with long, braided hair."

Anne clapped a hand over her mouth as she burst into laughter. "You would look terrible with long hair," she admitted after a moment. "Sorry, but it's true!"

"Yes, but you could try to be nice about it," Gilbert teased. Anne gave him a look, and he laughed again. "Fine, fine, I opened that door, I admit it."

Anne was quiet for a moment, not quite looking at him until she asked, "You were saying earlier... you really think I'm—er, that this is cute?"

Gilbert took a breath to speak, but Marilla chose that moment to call for Anne. The pair clambered down, Gilbert offering a hand to steady Anne as she jumped to the ground.

"Thanks," she told him sincerely as she straightened. "For the pep talk. For caring. I'll be okay."

"O-of course! Happy to help." Gilbert jammed his hands in his pockets. "And Anne? Yes, I do think that you... that your hair is cute."

Anne blushed and tried once again to nervously brush hair that wasn't there behind her ears before settling on waving shyly. "Thanks. Um, I'll see you tomorrow." She couldn't hide an entirely-too-pleased smile.

Gilbert nodded, a shy half-smile of his own quickly making an appearance. "G'night, Anne."

**Author's Note:**

> I've still got a future fic coming for this series, but writing on that is still slow going. I've had this in my pocket for a couple weeks, and decided to post it instead.


End file.
